Rodent or animal trap



Jan. 30, 1940. T, EI WQODROFFE 2,188,696

RODENT 0R ANIMAL TRAP Filed sept. 1, 195? 7Bm Eynesjr Wooro fge,

NVENi-ol Patented Jan. 3Q', 14/94' -Tom Ernest Woodroie,`0tahuhu,"Auckland, y l New Zealand :v i 'Application september 1,1938,.,serial No.' 227,909.v

In NewZea'la/nd September 30, 19,37 i

y2. Claims. (CII 43-81) `v Iz: '1:`

This invention relates to traps for rodents or animals and particularlyto rat traps, the objectsv of the invention being vthe provision of atrap with improved release mechanism which will render it a' moreeffective article.

It is Wellknown with present spring traps that on quite numerousoccasions the bait is taken v cases without any preliminary pushingaction,

the pushing or depressing action being the one which is necessary inorder to release the trap.

By my invention, the action of the rat infremoving the bait isimmaterial, the release mechanism being such that the removal of thebait causes removal of the medium which is holding the trap inunreleased position.

Broadly the invention` comprises improvements in known traps of the typewherein a wound tension spring mounted on a base has a striking frameadapted on release, to spring across from side to side of the base,improved'rele'ase mechanism being provided to lsuchtraps wherein thebait is disposed in such manner as to act as the medium which holds thetrap in unreleased position.

In describingA the invention,. reference, will be made to theaccompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view -of the trap in released position, i f

Fig. 2 is a'view of the trap in set position, and Fig. 3 shows a trap atthe-instant of release before the striking frame has moved to 'thereleased position as shown in Fig. 1.

In the invention therel are vthe known spring trap units comprising abase I, a wound tension spring 2 which is held to the base vI by staplesor like 3 and from which extends a rectangular Passingunder the spring 2near one of itsy ends II there is a trip lever I2 made from .materialsuchl as spring steel wire, this trip lever I2 having a portion I3pivotally secured tothe base yI by staples or like 3A and from oppositeends of this o-f the striking frame whenthe trap is released portion I3there is a bait engaging arm" I4 and a tripping arm I5, these arms I4and I5 being at opposite sides ofthe spring 2.

Ther bait engaging arm I4 extends across the base I to have its end MAdisposed adjacent to 5 the bait holder 8 and just suiciently to the sidethereof lto enable end. MA to move upwardly without touching said holder8, the `tripping arm I5l being bent upwardly irstof all and then bent yata right angle so as to become parallel to' arm I4. 10

In `use or operation, the rst' step` in setting the trap is to apply thebait I0 (Fig. 2) between the upper portion S of the bait holder 8 andthe end 'MA ci' the bait engaging arm I4, with the, latter flat againstbase I. l 15 rihis application ofthe `bait It, will therefore hold thearm i4 down,l the outer endv5 of the striking frame d being thenstrained across to enable the holding lever 6 toengage thereover,

the outer free end of this lever 6 being engaged 20 under the horizontal`portion of tripping arm I5,v the trap being then in set position aslshown in Fig. 2. 'l y In such set position, the tension of the spring 2is transmitted through the outer end 5 of striking I 25 vthe bait Ii) ornibbles it away to such an extent that it ceases to be able. to restrainthe upward movement tendency of the arm I4, such arm I4 will move upwardas shown in Fig. 3 and thus' 35 this movement will be transmittedthrough portion It to tripping armv I5, thereby allowing the holdinglever 6 to becomefree to ily backward, and the striking frame!! to bereturned to released position at which it strikes and grips the 40rodent in the known mannerof this typeof` trap.

It will be noted that with th'istrap the various units of mechanism allmovein an upward direction in releasing the trap and therefore the trapcan be covered for disguisingor hiding. purposes by a light layer ofsuch material as bran, sand y or such likewithout affecting itsVoperation, the rodent also being well within-the range of action therebyenabling catching of the largest rodents.

A trap `of a sizesuited for catching rats will also catch mice by` usingawater biscuit or like as bait and inserting only one corner of saidbiscuit between the bait holder` B and the end IIIA 55 of arm lil',`several mice at a time being caught by this procedure due to micenibbling around the edge of the biscuit. n f i Traps of small size formice could be made and large traps applyingV the same mechanism could bemade "for animals of larger size than rats 4 I claim:

1. Inv rodent or animal traps of the type having holding'lever in. itscocked position and the otherY arm being movable into a positionadjacent to said bait holder means and beneath' the piece of bait insaid bait holder, whereby when the bait f' has been removed thereleasing means will be 2,188,696y l, ,l

' free to release the striking frame vunder the spring tension thereof.

2. A rodent or animal trapv comprisinga Base.4 f

having a wound tension springv secured thereto from which a strikingframe extends, a holding lever pivotally secured to thel base andarranged to be engaged over the outer end of the striking frame, a iixedbait holder securedto the base and KK provided with an upper horizontalportionQ-a'trip lever having one portion pivotally securedrto 'thef baseand having tWo arms extending therefrom,- one of said arms being bent tobe "engageable' over the free end of the holding lever and-thej otherarm being bentand disposed to extendt a- .position adjacent to the baitholder, Wherelcy'thev bait placed between the horizontal portion `of thethe; latter arm down and the other holding lever.

` TOM ERNEST WO(-)D`R(-)FFE.l

,bait holder and the arm disposed thereover holds 4 arm over the y

